Scintigraphy and similar radiographic techniques are finding increasing application in biological and medical research and diagnostic procedures. Scintigraphy involves the use of radiopharmaceuticals having a radioactive material which upon introduction into a biological subject, becomes localized in specific organs, tissue or skeletal material desired to be imaged. When so localized, traces, plates or scintiphotos of the distribution of the radioactive material may be made by various radiation detectors. The resultant distribution of the radioactive material in the organ or tissue in which it is localized can be used to detect the presence of abberations, pathological conditions or the like.
In preparing the radiopharmaceutical, radionuclide chelating agents are utilized which will act as a bridge to connect the radioactive material such as a radioactive metal and the material which will localize in the organ, or tissue to be imaged. In general, effective chelating agents are desired which will couple the radionuclides to the material which will localize in the organ to be imaged.